A Case Of Murder
by XxSweet MitsukaixX
Summary: He had joined the police force to find his father's killers, but will Kai ever find them, and to what extent is he willing to risk his life and the life of others around him? Eventual yaoi: TalaxKai
1. Chapter One

Hi everyone!! -_huggles reader-_ I know...I really should be updating my other fics and typing up the sequel to 'Lost, Found and Lost Again', but this fic is dedicated to **sonora avilon,** a person who I have gotten to know quite well, and whose reviews always leave me shocked, staring in awe and with a smile on my face...basically, because they are so damn long!! -_grins-_ I love them.

Anyway, this is a new fic that has been playing on my mind for the past few weeks, and it just had the certain urge to come out...so here it is!

**Warnings: **I have no clue as to what the police hierarchy is, and most of the facts...if any, are just educated guesses. There will be eventual yaoi...so if that isn't what interests you, then please turn back now, flames will be used to warm my feet after a day out in the snow!!

**Disclaimer: **I...XxSweet MitsukaixX...do hereby declare my ownership of Beyblade!!! _-ownership papers fly away then get shredded in a planes engine- _Oh cack : )

On to the chapter!

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Chapter One

A police officer; a person diligent and loyal to his orders. A person who is willing to sacrifice their life for others, no matter what the circumstances and the people involved. A person who is able to abide by the law, a role model for others. A person who fights for justice in a society in which it is rare. A person who will never turn their back on their team, their partners, their friends and family. A person who does not pity those less than him, but who can empathise with their pain and suffering. A person who does not ridicule or demean others, who can be viewed as worthy to a cause as a saint. A person, whom since the age of five, I had always wanted to be like.

Thirteen years on and two years ago from the current year that I reside in, I had finally been able to fulfil my wish, my life-long dream. It had taken me eight years of desperately persuading my mother to allow me to join the police force, something that she was extremely reluctant to do, but in the end she managed to see that it was not a hobby, but an interest, bordering on the line of obsession.

I had always been slightly obsessed with law and justice, finding comfort in the normally appeasing results as a child. Believing that everything would be easy and simple. But, as a child, I had been completely wrong. In my naivety, I assumed that everything bad happened so that all the 'good-people' could right it again and then the good/evil balance of the world would be righted. This theory of mine, however, was brutally shoved to the side when I was ten.

I had just come home from a rather strenuous police cadets meeting in which I had had to do a bleep test, coupled with an hour and a half weight training just before, so my muscles were aching brutally, but I was happy that it kept me fit and healthy, so there was really no reason to complain. Anyway, I had had to walk home and was exhausted by the time I had managed to drag myself in to the living room, flopping down on the sofa immediately, almost succumbing to sleep.

However, the soft sound of footsteps caused me to raise my head slightly, wondering who was in the house, as to my knowledge, mother was still at work, labouring away at her studio, designing intricate outfits, while father was out at court.

You see, my father was the main reason I had turned my interest to law and justice at such a young age, as my father was a judge, and had worked extremely hard to get to where he was, as he had had a terrible fallout with my grandfather before I was even conceived. So as it was, instead of reading books that would teach me the basics of sounding my vowels and such nonsense, I would sit comfortably on my father's lap, listening to him reading through all the rules, regulations and justifications of the law, in apt interest.

So when the footsteps had drawn closer, I was extremely surprised to see my father staring down at me intently, a large book in his hands.

"Evening father," I greeted lethargically, pushing myself off of the sofa to embrace him as I had always done.

I was shocked, to say the least, when father moved away from me, out of reach, his intent expression turning to that of sudden, unexplained animosity. I froze, my sore arms going limp at my sides. Never had I been deprived of an embrace for either my mother or father, and it hurt. Confused, I had moved forwards once again, naively believing that it was a mistake, but as he moved back a second time, I knew he didn't want to go near me.

He glared at me silently for a moment, as I squirmed under his scrutinising gaze, before swiftly moving past me and out on to the patio beyond. I had had no idea of what had happened and why it had occurred, but all I felt was…hurt. I turned to face him, only to have met his back and it was then the bullets sounded.

I don't think anyone was prepared for it, lest of all me. I rushed forward stupidly, already having watched my father's body fall limply to the ground, riddled with many a bullet, his book disposed a meter away from his body, soaked in the dark crimson substance of his blood. Amongst the cracking of tiles at my feet and the shattering of glass at my head, I had managed to, somehow safely, reach my father's body, just as the light of his eyes left, a trail of blood trickling sluggishly down his chin from his mouth, and that was the first time I had cried.

No more bullets had sounded since the final fall of my father and I was left cradling his lifeless body, sobs wracking my slim frame, desperately begging him to wake up, a feat impossible to the dead. It was around two hours later that my mother found me, curled up against my father's side, futilely trying to warm his cold body. Shocked, she had immediately called the police, pulling me away from my father's body. With great reluctance I let go, finding the comfort I seeked from my mother and not from the lifeless corpse that had once housed the soul of my father.

I think I had gone in to shock after that, as I don't remember much of what happened afterwards. A post-examination had had to be carried out and then it was his funeral, which had suddenly gone past in a hazy blur, too fast that the only thing I seemed to remember was the endless onslaught of bodies offering their condolences. I think that it was then that I closed myself off to the world, shielding my emotions behind an emotionless façade, only to escape in the dark of the night in the form of tears, when I was in complete and utter isolation.

It had been a year after that that we had received news, from the police investigating the case of my father's death, that we learnt he was a victim of a well planned assassination, his high ranking in law and intimidating aura, had been his ultimate demise…and ever since that day, I had dedicated my life to finding my father's killers, ready to avenge his death; my last memory of him, stabbing me painfully at all times that I had learnt to push it to the back of my mind.

Yet, already two years on the force and my immediate promotion to chief inspector, my advanced knowledge boosting me up to that position, and still no clue as to who had been the cause to my father's death and I was starting to despair, that is, until my partner, Dmitri, slapped a large magnolia folder on my desk, a grim expression on his face.

"I think we found them…"

With those simple uttered words, I think it was at that moment that my life took yet another turn for the worst.

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So...what did you think? Please review!!! Any opinions are welcome, even pointless rambling!! 

Take care!

Ja ne!


	2. Chapter Two

Hi there!! Sorry that this update is quite late...well to my standards. I have excuses, but they're not important, so, thanks goes to all who reviewed!! It means so much to me!! -_huggles reviewers- _Thank you!!

**Disclaimer: **_-prances about in Aoki Takao outfit and makeup- _Look at me, I own Beyblade. _-rolls eyes- _Seriously, what do you think?

On to the next chapter! Enjoy!

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Chapter Two

With those simple uttered words, I think it was at that moment that my life took yet another turn for the worst.

Eying the magnolia folder hesitantly, I sighed in resignation and leant forwards, anxious at what I would find and read. This feeling came to me unexpectedly; for I had slaved away for the last ten years, putting aside my feelings, disregarding my social life, coping with my mother's untimely death in a car accident, and just struggling to stay afloat. My fingers found purchase on the large folder and I slowly brought it towards me, letting it rest in my hands for a moment, testing the weight for some reason, as if the weight would determine how easy or how difficult the next phase would be.

I heard Dmitri sigh from beside me, obviously annoyed at my lack of action. Dmitri had been my partner since I had been promoted to chief inspector, so about a year and a half now. I respected him a lot. Although he was at least ten years my senior, he treated me as any other person, with a respect and admiration that I feel I didn't deserve, but it was there none the less. He was a good man; almost like a surrogate older brother. He took me in when my mother passed away, helped me through the grieving that I never expected to do. I never expected to grieve after my mother died, as I had hidden my emotions the day that my father passed away, and I was left a snivelling wreck. Unappealing, I know. But it's all in the past, or so I hope.

Fingers trembling in excitement? Anxiety? Fear? Whatever it was, I was shaking, and like a leaf, might I add. Gently prying away the sticky residue that bound the envelope shut, I reached in a hand and pulled out a stack of documents. Laying them out on my desk, I studied each page individually, putting it aside once I had finished scanning its contents. A flash of black, different shades of grey and white caught my attention as I lifted off the fifth page, leaving me staring down in shock, fear gripping my heart. Memories buried deep in the confines of my mind years ago, through the hell of therapy, suddenly escaped, and I was left reeling. Staring up at me was the image of my father. Dead corpse in the midst of a post examination, skin pasty and eyes hollow, it felt like a nightmare come true.

After the death of my father, I had had numerous nightmares in which my father would rise up, blood still dripping from the many holes in his body and open his arms to me, granting me the hug I had desired. But then I would realise that I didn't want to be embraced; was actually scared of it. And every step he took towards me would cause me to flinch involuntarily and stumble back a few paces. His dead eyes staring at me hollowly, accusingly before he crumpled to the ground at my feet. Every time it was the same, and every time it occurred, a little more of me would break away and hide.

I admit, I'm not the same person I was after my father died, far from it really. I had always been a social child, relishing in the attention I received from both my doting parents. Carefree, yet mature beyond my years, I had a brilliant up bringing, coming to respect all people from all walks of life. Again, I say, I'm not the same person. No longer do I find interest in socialising, unless the motives are important. No longer am I carefree. Instead consumed by a huge cloud of paranoia that would never leave me. No longer do I feel safe, even in my own skin. I was lost, am lost, and I had been for the last ten years, but my stubborn will refused me from seeking the help, the security that I so desperately craved.

So when I stared down at the haunting picture, I refused to seek comfort in Dmitri, whom I knew would give it willingly. Instead, I buried my grief and carried on, swallowing the large lump in my throat. It took me approximately fifteen minutes to fully comprehend everything that had been given to me and sat back, propping my legs up on my mahogany desk.

A short clearing of a throat and my attention swerved towards Dmitri, who gazed at me expectantly, prompting an answer out of me of which I didn't even know myself.

"What are we going to do?"

I blinked then shrugged, showing him that I was unsure. This seemed to puzzle him quite a bit as he frowned at me, concern radiating in his warm hazel eyes.

"Kai, you've been waiting for this moment since you were ten, and now it's here, you don't know what to do…call me silly, but, that's not right," Dmitri moved towards me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off, my strong will creating a seemingly impenetrable barrier that refused to let him through. God knows he tried, and is still trying, but I couldn't. I couldn't let him get closer to me than he already was.

His hand dropped to his side softly, and he shook his head at me sorrowfully, before turning and heading towards the door of my office. He turned back briefly, hoping to look me in the eye, but I kept my gaze focused solely on the documents.

"I wish you would just open up to me. It's not healthy keeping all of this inside. It will eventually break you," he left the room after that, the door clicking shut quietly behind him.

I wiped a hand over my face and took in a deep breath, whispered words leaving my mouth, "No. It's already broken me. And I'm breaking even more every day. Someone please help me…"

And still, my father's hollow eyes stared up at me, and for the first time in ten years, bittersweet tears trailed down my cheeks.

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Awwww! This fic always seems to bring out the angst lover in me! _-grins-_ Anyway, this chapter was...umm...a little...unimportant...but the next chapter is where things start picking up.

So please review to get that next chapter...or I'll probably forget about it altogether. It's the truth! _-grins sheepishly-_ I don't have the best memory in the world! Anyway, review please. I would love to know what you think about the fic so far.

Take care.

Ja ne!


	3. Chapter Three

Hi there! I am so sorry that I took long to update this, but I've been focused on typing up the next chapters for my other fics, and when I finally typed this up, I realised that I typed it in third person narrative as opposed to Kai's point of view, and I've decided that I might switch between the two, but I assure you that you will know which point of view it is at the beginning of the chapter!!

Also, I just want to thank those of you who took their time out to review...it means so much to me!!!!!!!!

**Disclaimer: **Do not own.

On to the chapter!

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Chapter Three

(_Third Person Narrative)_

Kai strode through the meeting room purposefully, all traces of his previous breakdown pushed to the back of his mind, trademark scowl in place. The ten other officers occupying the room rose immediately, saluting the crimson-eyed man as he took his seat at the head of the table, manila folder slapped down in front of him. He sat back in his chair, arms folded across his chest as he gazed at all the people present in the room, all them hand chosen by himself, and all them, in some respectable way, friends of Kai. Each and every one of them having gained his respect in one way or another, hence the reason why they were now sitting in the room with Kai.

Kai continued looking over his accomplices for a moment longer, before he nodded his head and leant forwards, his arms resting on the table in front of him.

"This is it boys. This group of highly professional assassins have managed to, somehow, stay elusive over the past forty years of their reign of terror, and today was the day that they finally slipped up, thus the reason you're all here. Dragonov-SVD have assassinated a total 5000 members of authority, whether high ranking officers, talented lawyers, or judges," Kai had to swallow at this, "Not to mention the thousands of other people who have become victim at their hands for other reasons. We finally have enough evidence to try and infiltrate their organisation and try and take them down from the inside."

An awkward silence filled the room as each member had a nervous expression plastered on their faces, gulping under Kai's scrutinising gaze, as the young man stood up, pacing around the room purposefully.

"I'll say this now…and I'll only say this once, each and everyone of you has the choice to back out right now, and I assure you, I will not hold it against you, nor will it change my opinion of you. I can admit this right now, this mission is going to be extremely difficult and I need only the most dedicated people to help me with it. Whatever you chose, I will fully support it."

The door unexpectedly burst open, and Dmitri burst in, bagel in hand and waving a wad of paper around frantically.

"Kai! Judge McPherson's just been reported dead and Dragonov-SVD have taken full responsibility," Dmitri all but yelled, shoving the papers into Kai's hands, shoving the bagel into his mouth haphazardly.

Kai flicked through the papers quickly, skimming through all the information present, before he chucked them at the door, startling a few of the seated officers, who shuddered under Kai's intimidating aura. Walking back to his seat, Kai slammed his hands down on the table, causing quite a few people to jump in shock, and swore under his breath.

Dmitri watched Kai from the corner of his eye, chewing on the remnants of his bagel, whilst leaning against the door frame, as he observed the other people in the room, noting that all were actually older than Kai and some older than even himself. A growl alerted his attention towards Kai who had stood up once again.

"Okay, guys…I need your answers now. We don't have much time left…Dragonov's next victim is our Super Intendant Stanley Dickenson. If he dies…then this whole place is going to be shut down, and after that…who knows who'll they'll be going after," Kai's words were an ultimatum, putting an extremely important responsibility on the men around him, "Well?"

"Man, Kai, of course you know I'm in," Dmitri stated, walking away from the door and coming to stand next to Kai, placing a reassuring hand on Kai's shoulder.

Kai nodded in gratitude, turning to face the ten other occupants of the room, all of which wore similar looks of contemplation on their faces, before each nodded and one by one stood up solemnly, placing a hand on their heart.

One man looked around the room, steely grey eyes calculating yet kind, framed over by raven black hair that hung messily in front of his face, "We're all in Hiwatari…and we place our lives in your hands."

Kai let a small, rare smile quirk the sides of his lips, before nodding towards the steel-grey eyed man, "Thank you Andros," he turned to look each other person in the eye, "All of you."

Dmitri sniffed from beside Kai, pretending to wipe away a tear, "Who says patriotism is dead?"

Kai merely rolled his eyes and scoffed, hitting Dmitri upside the head, "Quit messing around, we need to start planning."

Dmitri immediately became serious, walking around the table and taking a seat, as did all the other members of the team, all staring intently at Kai, who nodded and walked towards a board standing behind his chair and flipped it over, depicting a map of Lake Baikal and Olkhon Island.

"So, we've managed to find out where Dragonov-SVD receive their armaments. There is a private airfield that they use in the centre of Taiga Forest on Olkhon Island, which, as everyone should know, is situated in the famous Lake Baikal, to retrieve their cargo. We have to find a way to get to the island undetected, as the island can only be accessed by boat or by air, however there is a glitch in this whole arrangement, as accessibility is only monitored on the west side of the island, the east side, completely covered in dense forest land, is unguarded, making it easy for us to take a speed boat there, or possibly a submarine, any aircraft is definitely out of the question," Kai explained, circling certain areas of the map, completely crossing off the west side of the island.

"Once there, we have to find a way to the airfield, luckily for us, it's located at the base of Mount Zhima in the Primorsky Range. We could have two of three of you guys positioned there on look-out, while four more take position at the base of the mountain, two others guarding whatever form of transport we deem necessary and the remaining four, including Dmitri and myself to surround the airfield. I'm telling you this now, as I'm only taking those in this room, any more could sabotage the mission. Any questions?"

Andros raised his hand, and began talking once indicated to do so by Kai, "It's a good plan, but there are some minor details that need fine-tuning…such as the fact that, if the airfield is where Dragonov-SVD does receive their weapons, who's to say they won't have a multitude of men surrounding the area and possible spies dotting the island?"

Kai nodded his head and smirked, "I know; that's why I've ordered heat-sensor glasses, which are easily operated. Any person around us within a half a mile radius will immediately be spotted."

Andros rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then seemingly pleased with the answer, nodded his head and didn't question Kai any further.

"Any other questions?" Kai inquired, looking over the room of people, "No? Good, then I can carry on." Kai left his post by the board and sat down on his chair, sliding the table top across to access a built in laptop. "We will leave as soon as we get clearance from Super Intendant Stanley Dickinson, he already knows there is a price on his life and will probably grant us clearance in the next few hours or so…and hopefully we can leave by nightfall. Everyone will attend a few hours of rigorous training before we leave. No mistakes are permitted on this mission, everything has to be executed flawlessly, do I make myself clear?"

A chorus of "Yes Sir" rang out and Kai was mildly satisfied, his stomach doing weird flips all of a sudden, but he pushed them away, classifying them as nerves.

"Good, as soon as we have clearance, I will inform all of you and we will leave, so be ready and suit up, ready all your equipment and don't be late. Not a word to anyone outside of this room apart from Super Intendant Stanley Dickinson. You're all dismissed," with a wave of his hand, Kai allowed everyone to leave the room, noting the slight tremor of excitement and apprehension that ran through the air as the ten men filed out, Dmitri staying put in his seat, glancing over at Kai casually who was typing away on the keyboard, mouth set in a grim line of determination and concentration.

"Kai?"

"Mhmm…" Kai grunted his acknowledgment, his concentration never straying from the screen in front of him.

"Do you think we can actually pull this off?"

Kai looked up, startled, "Know this Dmitri, I would never lead a mission I believe to be futile. I promise that I will get you and all the others back safely."

"Kai…" Dmitri started, concern marring his features for the young man in front of him.

"I promise, Dmitri. I promise."

Dmitri sighed and nodded, before getting up and leaving the room, Kai already focused on the computer in front of him.

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_-sigh- _Finally, I can start typing up the action!!! _-does happy jig- _

Anyway, please review and tell me what you thought about this chapter and I will try my hardest to update soon, but I warn you, it might be a while, as I'm going back to school tomorrow!! _-growls- _Great...

Take care all!

Ja ne!


	4. Chapter Four

Hi there everyone!!! -_huggles everyone in apology- _I am so sorry for the late update, but I've just been so busy!!!!! Please forgive me!!!! _-pouts-_ Well, anyway, I just want to thank those of you who took the time out to review. It really means a lot to me!! _-glomps reviewers-_

Well...I guess I just want to clear up a small fact...Dragonov SVD is actually a Russian armament that I thought would make a perfect name for an organisation of assassins, and I didn't realise that is would lead to people assuming that Tyson would be a part of it, in fact, surprisingly, he isn't, although that would be a believable idea!! _-grins-_ Oh well...Oh, and I realise that quite a few of you are wondering when the hell Tala is going to make an appearance...well, I'm afraid he won't be making his appearance for a while yet, maybe a couple of chapters, but I assure you, he will make an appearance...he has to!! Otherwise this wouldn't be a TalaxKai fic, would it?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Beyblade or any weapon mention in this fic...yes, the weapons do exist!!

Now, on to the chapter!!

Enjoy!

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Chapter Four

Kai strode down the hallway, a deep feeling of anxiety forming in the pit of his stomach, causing him to worry at his bottom lip, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides, crumpling the papers in his right hand.

It had been less than an hour after the meeting with his team, that he had been called to Superintendent Dickinson's office. The aging man seated behind his desk stared at Kai with an intensity any lesser man would have crumbled under, but Kai had learnt to harden himself from the world, from the people around him, he refused to show any weakness, and that is why he was regarded with the utmost respect by each and every one of his peers, and probably the only reason why Superintendent Dickinson granted him clearance to follow through in this mission. He had been somewhat shocked at the man's trusting gaze, but no expression flickered onto perfectly schooled features, instead he settled for a grateful nod and backing slowly out of the room, after reaching forwards to grasp the required documents.

Documents now creased in anxious hands. Kai bit his tongue, forcing down the feeling that threatened to engulf him as he rounded a corner, nodding a greeting stiffly to a fellow inspector coming towards him from the opposite direction. He didn't stop to talk, his intention clear in his mind, as he crossed under an archway in to a darkened area of the establishment.

Shoes clicking softly on marbled floors, Kai finally stopped in front of a large steel door, his left arm rose to quickly punch in the code to a small silver panel in the wall. A quick click on the confirmation button and the doors hissed open almost quietly, only for noise beyond its structure to punctuate the air; the thick scent of sweat lingering even after Kai stepped through and the door hissed shut.

Upon his arrival in the training room, eleven pairs of eyes swerved towards him, their owners halting in any activity they had previously been doing. Kai regarded all eleven people with an equal gaze, fingers flexing around the documents held in his right hand, before he gave a quick nod of his head. The reaction was instantaneous, as eleven men rushed forwards and took a seat on any area available surrounding Kai.

Kai cleared his throat and lifted the paper up, handing it to the first person on his right, Andros. Andros took the slightly scrunched up documents and skimmed through them, before nodding to himself and handing it to the person next to him. It took less than five minutes for all eleven men to confirm themselves that there mission had been granted, and now the atmosphere was thick with tension and apprehension, all eyes fixed intently on the blunette leaning against a wall, eyes gazing at them from under metallic silver bangs. He pushed away from the wall after a few seconds, standing up straight and motioning for the others to follow him as he walked towards the adjoining weapons room.

He stopped in front of a row of Ak-47s, equip with silencers, and picked one up, weighing the deadly weapon in his hands, before cocking it to the side and pulling the trigger once. In a instant, a straw mannequin found itself decapitated, the head dropping to the ground and rolling along to floor, stopping at Dmitri's feet, who stared down at in barely concealed shock.

"As I said, nothing but perfected is needed in this mission," Kai's monotonous voice rang clear in the silent room, catching the attention of eleven awe-struck men, who suddenly felt extremely inadequate. "I need nothing but perfection in this mission. One mistake could jeopardize the whole thing, and we have too much resting on our shoulders to allow that to happen. If one person even comes close to messing up, stop them. Each person's actions are your own. Watch your teammates. Watch yourselves. But most importantly of all, watch your enemies."

Heads nodded and hands clenched as each and every one of the eleven men standing in the room listened to what their team leader had to say, knowing that most of the responsibility was resting on the young man's shoulders, and to screw up would mean nothing but trouble for him; trouble they were unwilling to cause.

"We will leave at 18:00 hours in an unmarked helicopter and circle Lake Baikal until we reach the East side of the outer regions of the lake before we unload and transfer out equipment into a submarine. Our geographists have located a small cove a few miles from Mount Zhima, which is where we will resurface. After resurfacing, I want two men to stand guard outside the submarine, or position themselves around it; there is enough foliage to obscure them from sight if need be. Three more men will trek to the base of Mount Zhima and position themselves around there and another three will be placed near the top of the mountain; therefore being able to observe almost everything. The remaining three and myself will surround the airfield and radio in for backup if worse comes to worse. The three at the base of Mount Zhima will be our back up. Everyone needs to be properly equipped. Choose your teams, I trust your judgement.

I want you suited up in black clothing head to foot, with body armour. Infrared goggles will be provided for you as soon as we board the submarine. Everyone must have an Ak-47 complete with rounds and extras, a GsH-18 pistol, at least 36 extra bullets, as the cartridge holds a maximum eighteen, and grenades are needed for precautionary measures. Any questions?"

A man in his mid-twenties raised a tanned hand, lilac hair, tied back in a ponytail, swishing with his movements.

"Yes, Filipp?"

The man, Filipp, lowered his hand, "No disrespect to you sir, by why are you telling is everything now?"

A humourless smirk twitched the tips of Kai's lips, "It is better to be prepared and briefed before a mission; as the information has more time to sink in and less mistakes are liable to be made, although I expect no mistakes to be made anyway. Answer your question?"

Filipp nodded, satisfied with the answer and leant back, fingers drumming nervously against his crossed arms. Kai gazed at each men individually, then tilted his head to the side.

"Well then, if there are no more further questions…everybody suit up. Call your family; talk to them for a while, and meet back in the conference room at 17:45 exactly. From there we will leave. Dismissed," with that, Kai stalked out of the room, leaving behind a group of hesitant yet eager men.

Kai walked out of the training room and into his office, where he stripped off his blazer, slinging it across the back of his chair and promptly loosening his tie and unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt. He collapsed in his chair with a heavy sigh, his feet lifting up to rest on the surface of his desk. Placing one hand to his suddenly pulsating head and the other to his anxious stomach, Kai groaned, eyes fluttering shut. He stayed in that position for the next half an hour, quelling the butterflies that had developed in his stomach, until he was certain they would not arise at a more inappropriate time.

Risking a glance at his watch, Kai noticed he had more than an hour until he had to suit up. Standing up swiftly, Kai proceeded out of his office and down the hallway to a more private training room, where he proceeded to strip off his shirt and trousers and replace them with loose black tracksuits that hung low on slim hips and a white tank top. Stretching as he walked, Kai fastened black bandages around his fists and fingers before taking up his position in the centre of the room, in front of a large red boxing bag. Flexing his arms, Kai let his fist fly, coming into quick, precise contact with the bag, before his other hand followed, and then repeated himself, sweat already starting to trickle down the back of his neck.

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Kai strode in to the room, face obscured by a black hood, the only visible feature being his eyes. The rest of his body was clothed in black, his chest wrapped in body armour and at his waist was a holster, his GsH-18 sitting snugly in the holding, while around his shoulders were rounds of extra ammunition for the Ak-47 slung across his chest. The eleven men stood, right hands flying to their temple in a salute, each and every one of them clothed in the same way as Kai.

Kai nodded his appreciation and motioned for the men to follow him out of the room, down the hallway, up the stairs and onto the roof where a majestic red helicopter stood, its propellers whirling and creating a huge gust of wind. Everyone gulped, fear washing over them as they realised that there was no turning back now. One by one, they ducted under the man made wind and ran towards the entrance of the helicopter, before settling in, legs shaking unintentionally. Kai came in last, sliding the door shut behind him and taking his place in the cockpit, fingers flying over the numerous buttons and securing the seatbelt across his chest. With a thumbs up, Kai gripped the cyclic control stick in his right hand a pulled down slowly, the helicopter steadily rising into the air, before taking a 180 degree turn and soaring across a darkening sky of red, oranges, blues and purples, towards its destination...

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_-grins sheepishly- _Well...so much for the action I promised at the end of the last chapter... _-sweat drops-_ No worries, the action will definitely be in the next chapter!!!

Review please!

Take care all!

Ja ne!


	5. Chapter Five

Hi!! I am sooooooo sorry for not having update in like two months, but I seriously hit a road block with this, and it simply refused to budge...but... finally managed to find the inspiration to carry it on, and have, somewhat, recovered from the writer's block that has been hanging over my head for the past month or two.

Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed this fic so far! It means so much to me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

So...enjoy!

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Chapter Five

With a small flick of his wrist, Kai motioned for his team to step forward from their cover behind the large maple trees, a headset around his head with a little microphone positioned near his mouth. With one hand around the infrared binoculars in his hand and the other firmly clutching at a gun, fingers poised over the trigger, Kai turned to his men, all of whom surrounded him in a small semi-circle. All men were pale and trembling slightly, the ride from headquarters in the helicopter and then the short submarine ride, doing nothing to calm their nerves.

Raising his voice to no more than a whisper, he spoke, "Now men, I hope you realise that there is absolutely no chance of turning back now. Whatever occurs from here on in is final."

He waited for all his men to nod their consent, their understanding. "Good. Now, I need to know what teams have been chosen. Which two volunteered to stand guard by the submarine?"

Two men stepped forwards, one tall in height, yet with a lithe build, icy green eyes peered out from underneath midnight blue hair, the other slightly shorter yet compact, black hair slicked back and tied at the base of his neck while violet eyes regarded Kai carefully.

Kai nodded, "Okay, Stepan and Vladislav. I need you two to go back to the submarine as soon as possible, go after I dismiss you. As you know, we have no captain in our submarine and right now an attack on it, or abduction is extremely likely if found out. Stepan?"

The man with the midnight blue hair cocked his head, "Yes sir?"

"I need you to keep in contact with myself and the other team members when necessary. If you need back up, do not hesitate to signal us. Now go."

Both men immediately turned on their heel and marched back through the foliage and towards the submarine, which lay half submerged in a cove.

Kai turned his attention back towards the remaining nine men. "Who's taking position at the top of Mount Zhima?"

Nikolai, a short man with blue eyes and blond hair stepped forwards, as well as Kirill, a slightly taller man with ebony black eyes and platinum blond hair, and next to him, stood Roman, a stocky man with green eyes and silver hair cropped close to his head.

"You will leave now. Watch your backs as you travel up the mountain, there could be cameras or enemies anywhere. I advise you to use your infrared goggles. Once at the top, radio in and tell me of your position and what you can see, is that clear?"

The men nodded, then saluted and headed towards the huge peak to their north-west, dark clothed bodies disappearing in to the darkness of the trees.

"Right, the next three that are to take position a the base of Mount Zhima?"

Alexsi, Igor and Maksim stepped forwards. Alexsi with black eyes and flaming red hair, Igor with warm hazelnut brown eyes and dark blond hair, and Maksim with dark brown eyes and chestnut brown hair.

"Take your cue at the bottom of Mount Zhima. Find a place to conceal yourselves. Make sure that your infrared goggles are always on. Your position is extremely important, as you will be the first group to know if there is an attack. You will also be a back up for my team if the need arises. Radio in to each team frequently and update them on anything that happens, whether a bat has screeched or a wolf has howled, just make sure you are in constant contact."

The men saluted and traipsed off in the same direction as Nikolai, Kirill and Roman, disappearing after a number of seconds. Kai sighed and turned to the remaining three men standing in front of him; Dmitri, Andros and Filipp. He cracked a small tired smile and stepped forwards, shaking each of their hands individually.

"I'm glad that I have you three men accompanying me. We have to get in to the airfield and find a weak point in the fence and then the building. As soon as we get inside, we have to make our way towards the mains computer system, avoiding and destroying any cameras along the way. It isn't going to be easy, but I bet it's possible. Once we have hacked into the main frame, we have to download all the files on to a disk, them promptly destroy the computer. The files will be enough evidence to convict a few suspects we have tailed at the moment and the rest will be able to determine which murders and more importantly how many murders have taken place and for what reason and for which people. We will be able to convict those who have hired the work of Dragonov-SVD. We will be able to shut down the organisation permanently. When we get out, we will need to detonate a bomb and manoeuvre our way back to the submarine. As soon as we have successfully left the airfield, we will radio in to the other teams and they will meet us back at the sub as quickly as they can. Are you guys ready?"

Dmitri grinned and slapped Kai on the back, "Well, no matter how impossible and 'impending doomish' that sounded, we're ready as we'll ever be, right guys?"

Andros and Filipp nodded, saluting Kai and switching on their radios. Kai smirked softly, an intense sense of apprehension making itself know in the pit of his stomach. He shrugged it off though, refusing to show weakness in front of his team. With a curt nod, he turned on his heel and headed due west towards the airfield; Andros, Filipp and Dmitri close behind him.

Five minutes into their trek, Stepan radioed in, informing Kai that they had made it safely back to the submarine and that they were keeping a vigilant look out.

"Keep your eyes open and your goggles on. Never keep your gaze in one direction. Over and out." Kai pressed a little button on the side of his headset and the connection was closed.

A few minutes after that, Kai received news from Roman at the top of Mount Zhima.

"Hiwatari. We made it safely to the top. There was no sign of enemy in the vicinity and there appears to be an abandoned warehouse just a few hundred meters from were we are positioned, there are no lights and any windows are firmly covered with wood. Infrared has picked up no sign of any other human source. Over."

"Thank you Roman. Keep a wary eye on the warehouse, there could still be some people who travel there, and remember to not judge a building by its outward appearance. Keep watch over it and if you see any aircraft enter the island, inform me immediately. Can you detect any human activity near the airfield? Over."

There was a soft crackle and a muttering of curses, "Yes sir. We've counted ten men on the air-strip, all of them armed. Over."

Kai froze where he was, motioning for the three men with him to stop, "Where exactly are they? Over."

"To the upper north of the airfield. The south looks deserted, but we aren't sure about any buildings there, they're too far out of range. Over."

"Okay, thank you Roman. Over and out."

"Problem?" Dmitri inquired.

"A bit. There are an estimated ten armed men to the far north of the airfield. The main building is due east. We have to enter from the south now as opposed to the west," while explaining, Kai had started to walk once more, stride long and purposeful.

"Any news from the team at the base?"

"Not yet."

The four men lapsed into silence as they trudged through the wilderness, steadily nearing their destination. A voice crackling in his ear caused Kai to stop, the three other men following suit.

"Hiwatari here. Over."

"Sir, we have reached the base of the mountain. However we encountered some trouble along the way. At the moment we have an unconscious guard of the enemy bound and tied. Over."

Kai felt his heart-beat quicken, "Was there just one? Over."

"Yes sir. He looked to be leaving from the direction of the airfield, bags packed and dressed in civilian clothing. Over."

Kai breathed a small sigh of relief. "Okay, that's good news. If he was on his own and there was no sign of any other people, and he looked to be going somewhere other than back to his base, there is a high chance that no one will notice his absence or that anything has happened. Over."

"Yes sir. We will keep an eye on him. He doesn't seem to be armed, so we should be relatively safe. We will inform you, if and when he awakens. Over and out."

Kai frowned, he hadn't been expecting that, and it unsettled him somewhat. He ignored the curious gazes sent his way and carried on walking, the airfield already in sight.

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Vladislav and Stepan paced the ground softly, their feet hardly making a sound, as their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. A bat screeched and swooped down low towards the ground catching hold of its prey, while startling the two men, who unconsciously opened fire on the creature. It collapsed against the ground, dead, mere nanoseconds later, it's prey, a small mouse, scurrying away coated in blood.

Vladislav and Stepan shuddered at the sight but breathed a sigh of relief none the less, somewhat glad that their instincts and reflexes were quick. A small clank caused their hearts to quicken as they spun around to face the half submerged submarine.

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Nikolai, Roman and Kirill lay on their bellies, Ak-47s clutched in their arms, fingers poised over the triggers readily. Kirill kept his gaze fixed on the warehouse and the areas around and behind it, while Roman and Nikolai kept watch over the rest of the island, binoculars in place.

Nikolai pointed suddenly, "There. Hiwatari and the rest of the team have just crossed the fence and from the looks of the area, they should be able to infiltrate the building quickly and efficiently."

Roman nodded his head in agreement; keeping his binoculars trained on the four bodies. "Hopefully they don't encounter anyone inside the building, even though it's highly likely."

Nikolai merely grunted and watched let his gaze wander over the island. A short blast of shots gathered his attention at the north of the air-strip. He narrowed his eyes, binoculars fixed over them.

"What is it?" Kirill turned towards his team mates, "What's going on?"

Roman growled, ripping the binoculars away from his face, and pressing a button on his headset, "Hiwatari, come in. over." A huge amount of static answered his call, causing him to frown. "Hiwatari. We have a situation here. Over." Yet more static. "Sir. Come in sir! Over."

"Roman, what's going on?" Kai's voice crackled to life through the headset, "What's happened? Over."

"Sir, the men are moving towards your position. They just opened fire randomly. Over."

Nikolai prodded Roman urgently, gaining the other man's attention quickly, as well as that of Kirill. Roman's eyes narrowed at the sight, forehead creased with a prominent frown.

"Roman? Answer me! Over."

"Sir, the ten men have just been joined by four more. Over."

"Are the four new men armed? Over."

"No, sir…two of them are our men…Stepan and Vladislav…Over."…

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Wow...what is going to happen next?? How were Stepan and Vladislav captured?? Review and you'll find out!! I'll try and update this as soon as I can, which will hopefully be in the next week or so.

So...as I said, please review, it would be greatly appreciated.

Take care.

Ja ne.


	6. Chapter Six

Z'omg! I don't believe that I haven't updated this in a month!! _-bows down in apology- _Gomen.

But thank you to all who reviewed!! It means the world to me and I'm glad that you guys are enjoying the fic so far!

Just wanted to mention that Tala will be making an appearance in a little while...I hope... _-sweatdrops-_

Anyway, I've kept you guys waiting for long enough...so on to the next chapter!

Enjoy!

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Chapter Six

"No, sir…two of them are our men…Stepan and Vladislav…Over."… 

Kai froze mind-step, his heart plummeting in his chest. Dmitri, Andros and Fillip stopped immediately, eying Kai warily.

"Sir…what's happened? …Sir?" Fillip questioned, moving forwards and placing a reassuring hand on Kai's arm.

"The men…they're coming," Kai whispered, causing the three other men to gasp and whip out their guns, gazing around the area with keen eyes, "…but they have Stepan and Vladislav…"

Andros turned his head at the last few words, eyes widening, "Sir? Did I hear you correctly? They have Stepan and Vladislav?"

Dmitri and Fillip frowned, turning to their leader, their hearts in their throats. Kai swallowed, gazing each man in the eye for a few seconds, before nodding solemnly. "Yes, men. They do." Kai took in a deep breath and released it slowly, "But we have to carry on with the mission. This is our only window of opportunity, we may never get another."

"But…Stephan…Vladislav…they-" Dmitri stuttered; only to be cut off with a firm shake of the head from Kai.

"I'm sorry, Dmitri…but we have to keep moving." Kai ignored the protests that fell from Dmitri's mouth and kept on walking, gun cocked and finger poised over the trigger, his eyes scanning the perimeter endlessly. Andros and Fillip looked on worriedly, but followed the younger man none the less, while Dmitri gazed on in shock, not sure whether or not to follow. He sighed deeply after a while, before setting off after the other three, who were already nearing the building and were slinking stealthily along the walls of the compound.

The radio crackled to life in Kai's ear, causing him to jump slightly. "Hiwatari, come in. Over."

"Ka………com……ou….now!" Static interfered with the transmission.

Kai frowned, "Roman? Maksim? Come in. What's going on? Over."

"The………get o……over."

"Repeat what you said!" Kai hissed into the headset, watching Andros, Fillip and Dmitri scout the area in front of them, glancing back at him once in a while, concerned etched on their faces.

"Sir! Th………need to…th…now, sir! Now! Over!"

"Roman? Roman, repeat what you said. Repeat!"

"Sir!" Kai lifted his head towards Fillip, eyebrow cocked in question. "The heat sensor goggles are failing. They're not working, sir."

Kai frowned and gazed through the goggles towards Fillip, realising, in shock, that what the man had said was true. "Shit!" Ripping the goggles off his face, Kai motioned for the three men to step back towards him, away from the edge of building.

"Kai…" the headset crackled again, clearer this time.

"Roman? What's going on? Over." Kai hissed, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face, his gut clenching in anticipation.

"They're com…g, sir. They're heading strai…t towards you…they." A bout of gunfire erupted through the headset before silence reined.

"Roman? Roman? Roman, come in! Come in, Roman!" Kai whispered desperately.

"Sir? Sir, what's going on?" Andros questioned, his face ashen and pale as he stared at his leader.

Kai ran a hand through his hair, before he slowly raised his head towards Andros, Fillip and Dmitri. "They got Roman, Nikolai and Kirill…and they're coming for us next."

The three men listening froze, their eyes wide and their mouths agape in shock. Kai growled and turned, his fist lashing out and embedding itself in the side on the wall. He hissed and pulled his hand free after a while, watching the rivulets of blood trickle down his fist.

"Kai, please. Don't lose it…we need you to carry on this mission," Dmitri soothed, placing a comforting hand on Kai's shaking shoulder.

The dual-haired teen let out a shaky laugh, "The mission's screwed, Dmitri. They've nearly captured all of our men…and there's every chance that we're next." Kai's laugh was hollow, as he shoved Dmitri away from him.

The man stared at Kai in shock, anger welling up inside him, coursing through his veins, waiting to erupt, and erupt it did. With a growl, Dmitri surged forwards and flesh met flesh, as his fist met Kai's cheek. Kai stumbled backwards, clutching his cheek in shock, Andros and Fillip staring at the two incredulously, before gaping in shock as Dmitri grasped Kai's shirt and thrust him up against the wall harshly.

"Do you keep promises, Kai?" Dmitri hissed quietly, chest heaving.

Kai gaped at Dmitri, crimson eyes wide, "You know I do, Dmitri."

"Then why the hell are you giving up? You promised me, before we went on this mission, that you'd bring everyone back. That everyone would be safe!"

"I…" Kai bit his lip, his words coming back at him, freezing his heart.

"You promised us, Kai. You promised all of us that you would lead us back to safety after this mission, that you would never lead us on a mission of which you knew would get us all killed. That's why we all agreed to come on this mission with you, because we trusted you…we trust you with our lives, Kai," Dmitri gritted his teeth together before releasing his hold on Kai's shirt, allowing the younger man to slump back against the wall.

Kai took a deep shuddering breath, his body shaking uncontrollably at Dmitri's sudden outburst, a rarity in the usually carefree, down-to-earth man. He glanced over at Fillip and Andros momentarily, noting that they were unsure of what to do; almost scared. He ran a hand over his face, taking a deep calming breath, before turning his gaze back to Dmitri.

"Dmitri, my friend. I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…a lapse of sanity."

Dmitri shook his head, his eyes softening slightly, "No Kai. I don't want your apologies…because you have nothing to apologise for. Everyone loses it once in a while. Admittedly, you scared me, as this is the first time it's ever happened during a mission. But please, don't abandon us…we need you to lead us on in this mission. As you said, this is our only window of opportunity, and we need to take advantage of that. We're here for you, supporting you in your decisions right until the end," he cast a look back towards Andros and Fillip who nodded their heads reassuringly at their leader. "The three of us."

Kai felt pride swelling up in his chest at the words that left his friend's mouth, and nodded his head softly; three small smiles aimed his way in return. He reached down and grasped his shirt in both of his hands and ripped a long shred off. Catching the other three's questioning gaze, he wrapped the length around his left hand and secured it swiftly.

He nodded towards Andros, Fillip and Dmitri, "Let's go. We have a mission to complete and a team to rescue."

A dark laugh sounded from above the four men, grabbing their attention instantly and causing them to look up. A tall man, dressed darkly and obscured by the shadow of the building, leered down at them, his gaze resting on Kai.

"Not so fast."

Kai glared and whipped out his gun, aiming. Just as he went to pull the trigger, a burst of pain flared up in his right shoulder and he promptly dropped his stance. He gasped but pulled the trigger none the less, dismayed when the throbbing in his body miscalculated his aim and the bullet strayed meters away from his target.

Dmitri, Andros and Fillip whipped out their guns, a coarse cry out to their leader as they saw a bullet penetrate his shoulder a second time. Kai hissed, dropping to one knee as a bead of sweat trickled down his cheek. Taking a risked glance around, he realised that they were surrounded by at least twenty men, who had somehow appeared from the shadows that were cast amongst the airfield. He clutched his shoulder tightly, trying to stem the steady blood flow, and turned to the three men awaiting his orders and slowly shook his head, a soft "Don't." floating through the air.

Andros, Dmitri and Fillip nodded slowly, dropping their weapons to the ground as the group of twenty men closed in on them, surrounding them and backing them up against the building wall. Kai stood up lethargically, the steady blood loss already taking its toll on him, and moved to stand in front of the other three; a shield of sorts.

The man from above them jumped down, landing agilely on the ground in front of them, before straightening up and raising his gun, finger poised over the trigger menacingly.

"Who are you working for?" the man asked, his face obscured, all but one single silver eye visible.

Kai growled and kept his mouth shut, knowing his men would do the same. This didn't seem to bode well with the man as he barked a short, sharp command, causing the twenty men around to fire at the ground by Kai, Dmitri, Andros and Fillip's feet. The four men started slightly but held their ground, glaring defiantly at the man in charge.

The man merely chuckled and lowered his gun, placing a hand on his hip leisurely, "You're not as weak as I anticipated. Who are you working for?" When none the four men in front of him refused to answer, he sighed and shook his head, a low, humourless chuckle leaving his lips. "You men are either extremely brave or extremely retarded. Now, answer the question…or do I have to get others involved?"

The men stayed tight-lipped, unwavering in their decision, only earning them a dark sneer and a wave of a hand from the man in front of them. They tensed, expecting the worse as the twenty men around them cocked their rifles, but could only gasp in horror as they parted and Stefan and Vladislav were shoved in to the circle, both falling to the ground; blindfolded and hands cuffed behind their backs.

"Stefan…Vladislav…" Kai whispered, his heart clenching painfully, blocking out the pain flaring in his shoulder.

The man in charge stepped forward once again, placing the nozzle of his gun against Stefan's head, a cold feeling engulfing Kai, Andros, Fillip and Dmitri. "Again…who are you working for?"

Kai bit his lip, watching in distress as Stefan cowered under the obvious coldness of metal against his skull, but refrained from talking, knowing that he was under strict instructions not to release any information to the enemy, not matter what was at stake…even a life. Andros, Fillip and Dmitri looked away, their hearts clenching and unclenching painfully in their chests, for they knew what was to come and they knew, like Kai, that they were not to divulge information. Each clenched their fists tightly by their sides, their bodies shaking imperceptibly.

The man growled, getting impatient, "Fine! Your loss!" with a strangled cry, he swiftly raised his hand, aimed and fired, his bullet rushing through the air and embedding itself in to Dmitri's forehead, the bone shattering on impact.

Kai whipped his head around, his eyes widening and his breath catching in his throat as Dmitri dropped to the ground, dead, blood pooling slowly around his paling body.

"D..Dmitri…"

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ACK! I killed Dmitri!! _-goes pale- _

Review please, and I will try my very hardest to update soon, and sort out this very distressing mess and introduce Tala! Woo! _-grins-_

Take are all

Ja ne


	7. Chapter Seven

Thank you my dear reviewers!!! -_glomps-_ This relatively quick update is for you guys!

Enjoy!

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Chapter Seven

_Kai whipped his head around, his eyes widening and his breath catching in his throat as Dmitri dropped to the ground, dead, blood pooling slowly around his paling body._

"D..Dmitri…" 

"Now! Answer the question! Who are you working for?" the man hissed, his gun once again trained at Stefan's head, who shook under the deadly weight of the gun.

Kai ignored the irate man for the moment, his heart pounding in his chest as he crawled towards Dmitri's lifeless body, his vision swaying in front of him from the amount of blood he had already lost.

"Dmitri…" Kai reached out and placed his hand on Dmitri's pale, yet still warm cheek.

He watched as Andros and Fillip collapsed, their legs giving out on them, as they gazed at Dmitri's lifeless body in horror.

"Dmitri…" Kai wiped a bloodied hand across his face, the crimson smearing his porcelain features, "I'm so sorry, my friend…I'm…"

"Shut up and move away from him!" the man spat at Kai, silver eye blazing menacingly, but Kai made no sign of movement, his eyes glazing over.

"Kai?" Andros mumbled, grabbing the attention of the dual-haired man, however unfocused, "This is not your fault…you couldn't hav-"

With a gasp, Andros stopped in mid-sentence, placing a shaking hand on his chest. As he pulled it back, blood coated his hand, all from the single gunshot wound to his heart. His dimming eyes turned to Kai in desperation, a soft "I'm sorry…" leaving his lips in his last gasp.

Kai swallowed thickly, nausea engulfing him, but he didn't know whether it was down to the blood loss or the fact that he had just witnessed two of his friends killed in cold blood.

"Now…are you going to answer my question now? Or do you want another death on your hands, Kai Hiwatari?"

Kai's eyes widened and he tore his gaze away from Andros' corpse and Fillip's worrying silence and lack of movement. "How do you know my name?"

The man chuckled, "Oh, I know a lot about you, Kai. About how you joined the police force in hopes of catching your father's killers, in hopes of catching us. We know that after your mother died, you moved in with your late friend Dmitri. We also know that you were there at the time of your father's assassination, a poor little ten-year-old boy, just come home from training. As I said, we know a lot about you."

Kai growled and fought to control his temper, "If you know so much about me, then you know who I work for."

The man smirked, a mere curl of thin lips, "Of course we know who you work for. You're under the command of Superintendent Stanley Dickinson…our next target. It was just so much fun watching you squirm, as your friends died in front of you…just like your dear old father."

Kai felt the hairs prickling on the back of his neck at the words that left this strange man's words. An image of his father flashed through his mind, followed by Dmitri and Andros, and Kai saw red. Without a second's hesitation, Kai launched himself up, regardless of his injuries and steadily deteriorating health, and towards the man.

"Kai!" Fillip screamed, snapping out of his shock, and scrambling towards his leader, his dedication shining through. He reached the younger man swiftly, grabbing him around the torso and pulling him to the ground before a burst of gunfire and the whiz of bullets flew over their heads. Kai hit the ground with a gasp, his shoulder flaring in pain. "Kai…sir…"

Kai gazed through hazy eyes at Fillip's lean form over his own and could only feel his eyes widen at the blood that trickled down the other man's forehead in thick rivulets, dripping off and landing on his own face in dark splotches. "Fillip…no…" Kai shook his head, his voice shaking.

"Get through this…sir…please…I…" with a shuddering breath, Fillip collapsed atop Kai, crushing the smaller man slightly with his sudden dead weight.

"Dmitri, Andros, Fillip…" Kai whispered brokenly, "I've broken my promise to them…"

The man chuckled darkly in the background, applauding his rifle men with taunting claps, before stalking slowly towards Kai and wrenching Fillip's lifeless, bleeding body off of him. Then bending down, he roughly grabbed Kai by the collar and lifted him up effortlessly, throwing him against the wall and pinning him there with one arm. He watched in sadistic pleasure as the young man struggled for breath weakly, his dark uniform smeared in blood, his own dripping off the end of his sleeve to form puddles of crimson in the ground.

"Tell me, Hiwatari…what would you do if I offered you an explanation of your father's death. Gave you an explanation as to who ordered his demise. Would you take it?" the man whispered, his face dangerously close.

Kai stopped struggling, his eyes focused on Stefan and Vladislav, still cowering silently beyond all the carnage, bound and gagged but aware; so painfully aware of what was going on.

"I won't do anything unless it means the safety of my men," Kai whispered, softly, "What's left of them."

The man chuckled and released his hold on Kai, allowing the dual-haired man to slump to the ground pitifully. "I'll tell you what. I will release Stefan and Vladislav over there if you can hit just three targets with your gun. But you must hit all three…hit two, and only one of them survives. But if you mess about and turn on my hospitality, they're dead, you miss, and they're dead. Is that clear?"

Kai glared up at the man through blood-soaked bangs, "Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?"

The man crouched down till he was at eye level with Kai, "My name is Konstantine, and I want to put your words to the test. You once claimed a long time ago that you would be able to take us down. I want to see that happen."

Kai merely glowered but stood up, slowly, none the less, leaning heavily on the wall for support. Konstantine grinned, standing up himself and taking a few paces back before picking up Kai's gun and tossing it at him. The slate-haired man caught it easily with his left-hand, his breathing heavy. Konstantine motioned for him to follow as he walked towards his men stationed around them, parting easily at one simple wave of his hand. Kai walked as swiftly as he could, disguising his pain behind a grim frown. He stopped and knelt down next to Stefan and Vladislav, and touched each other foreheads gently. They acknowledge him with a small nod of their heads as his voice filled their ears.

"I shouldn't have brought any of you along, but I will try my best to get you out of this situation…I'm sorry."

"Hiwatari! I'm waiting…" Konstantine mimed checking his watch and tapping his feet impatiently.

Kai nodded and stood up, walking over towards where Konstantine stood, facing another building covered up by a large black sheet. Kai stopped at the man's side and focused his deteriorating vision on the sheet, wondering what lay behind it, wondering what type of targets he would be forced to shoot.

"Ready, Kai?"

Kai bit his lip and nodded, cocking his gun in his left hand and holding it steady. Konstantine waved his hand towards two men standing either side of the sheet and with an affirmative nod, they pulled down the black sheet.

Kai retched, turning his head to the side as bile rose up and out of his throat, his gun dropping to the floor beside him as he grasped his abdomen tightly. He shook his head viciously, "No! You can't! You can't make me do this!"

Konstantine chuckled humourlessly, "You have to chose Kai, all three of them there are alive. You either kill them…or let the other two be killed…what's your decision?"

For hanging strapped to the wall, their eyes blindfolded and blood dripping off various wounds on their bodies, were Nikolai, Kirill and Roman…

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-_shifty eyes- _Um ... review?

Ja ne


	8. Chapter Eight

Hey there! Many thanks to Destiny Quill, GabZ, Elemental Gypsy, MikaMiko, over-8-ed and sonora avilon for reviewing.

Here's the next chapter.

Enjoy!

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Chapter Eight

_Konstantine chuckled humourlessly, "You have to chose Kai, all three of them there are alive. You either kill them…or let the other two be killed…what's your decision?"_

_For hanging strapped to the wall, their eyes blindfolded and blood dripping off various wounds on their bodies, were Nikolai, Kirill and Roman…_

Kai shook his head, his body trembling, "No…I won't do it. I can't…they're my men … my friends."

A humourless chuckled erupted from the back of Konstantine's throat, "You really are pitiful, do you know that? Here I am, giving you a chance to save two of your men, and you can't even do that. What kind of leader are you?"

Kai growled, tearing his eyes away from the disturbing sight in front of him, "I'm the type of leader who would rather sacrifice myself rather than shoot my own men!"

"Well you don't have a choice in the matter, Kai. I don't want you dead, in fact, I want you quite alive, if that's possible. You're far too talented and I admire talented men, so therefore you do not die. So come now, shoot them. A quick bullet to the head, they will feel nothing. A quick and easy death, painless. Simple. Non-time consuming."

"You're a sadistic bastard."

A smirk twitched the sides of Konstantine's lips, "Yes, I may be a sadistic bastard, but I'm not the one about to kill my 'friends'."

"I am not about to kill anyone. As I've said, they are my men, my friends, I respect each and every one of them. No one dies by my hands … apart from you."

"Ah, feisty one aren't you? I thought you might be, after all, left to grow up by yourself as your mother drunk herself into a stupor each and every night after your father was murdered by my people. In her drunkenness, she blamed you, she would beat you night after night and yet you would do nothing, because you loved your mother, and she would always apologise profusely the next day, and because deep down you believed that it was your fault as well. You believed that he died because of you, and the only reason you're here right this minute, is because you're looking for someone else to blame, for someone to tell you that 'no' it wasn't your fault that your father was murdered. That it wasn't your fault he stepped out the patio doors when he did. That it wasn't you fault your mother died of a car-crash, a result of everything that had happened. All these years, you have dedicated yourself to finding your father's 'killer's', but really, you were just looking to shift the blame, to feel better about yourself, to-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Kai's left fist lashed out at Konstantine, but bore no danger as the silver-haired man had been expecting a reaction and had grabbed Kai's fist inches from his face, and twisted, sending Kai to the ground on his knees, hissing in pain.

"I see I hit a soft spot. But isn't what I said true, Kai. You do feel like you are to blame, but what if I offered you the relieve you seek. What if I can shift the blame away from you and tell you the real reason why your father was murdered? What if I can explain why he refused to embrace you when you came home?"

Kai froze, realising that the very question he had been asking for the past ten years, could finally have an answer: why his father had not embraced him the day he had died.

Konstantine studied the man at his feet, "Do you want to know, Kai?"

Kai paused, "What do you want from me?"

Frowning, Konstantine released his grip on Kai's hand, "No Kai, what is it _you_ want? What is it? I don't understand."

Kai glared up at the other man through bloodied silver bangs, "What do _I _want? What I want is for you to let my men go. To leave them alone and send them back to their families. They have nothing to do with this mission. The only thing they were involved in was taking orders. Whatever happens in down to me! I'm to blame for the infiltration. I formulated the plan. I put them in this mess and it's my job to get them out!"

"But you can't do that Kai. Three of your men are already dead. The lives of another five lie in your hands. And if I'm not mistaken, you have three more men stationed around the area. My bet is at the base of Mount Zhima."

Kai froze, his blood running cold.

"Yes Kai, you put yourself in this mess, and yes, you dragged your men into it as well, but don't yourself the full blame for it, you were tricked." A low chuckle tickled the back of Konstantine's throat as he leant down until he was eye-level with the other man, confusion clearly evident on wary features. "Yes, Kai. You were tricked … and by your own men. Shocking really. And here I thought you had a brilliant sense of judgement."

Frowning, Kai focused his attention on the ground, desperately trying to figure just who had betrayed not only him but also everyone involved in the mission. Rage filled him, anger blinding him. Whoever the mole was, was to blame for the death of three of his men, one of them his closest friend. Whoever it was, was to blame for the situation he was faced with now. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't kill his men, not only was it immoral, but Kai felt physically sick if he even thought about it. "Who is it?"

Konstantine grinned, leaning in close, close enough that as he spoke, his breath tickled the side of Kai's ear, "It was … "

Kai's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat, the mere thought of it causing his chest to constrict. "How …?"

"He was a good friend of mine … he owed me a very big debt. And at that time, you had come to the surface, plastered all over TV screens and the front of newspapers. You became famous for your intelligence, your wit and the fact that every case you were assigned to was solved in a matter of weeks, even days at times. You were the prodigy of the police world. And I respected you. Then came the day you revealed your true intentions in joining the police force: you wanted to find your father's killers and you vowed to take them down." Konstantine paused, moving back and sitting on his haunches, "And that's when my dear friend came in handy. He finally had a use. I told him if he watched you and reported everything back to me, his debt would be paid off. He told me what was going to happen this night, but, like a fool, he had become attached to you, he came to respect you as a leader and as a friend. He requested that you were not to be killed, but I assured him that I had no intention to kill you. He didn't mention anything about the rest of your team, and I thought it useful to use your team against you. So when you came along, I know exactly how to disarm you."

"You bastard!" Kai hissed, his breathing becoming slightly laboured.

Konstantine brushed the comment off non-committedly, chuckling slightly, "Yes, we've already covered that point: I am a sadistic bastard. Now please, can we carry on. I'm quite annoyed at the lack of action on your behalf."

Kai clenched his fists tightly by his sides, gritting his teeth together in a vain attempt to keep his temper under control. "I will not be acting out on your orders." Kai's voice was strained, his body trembling slightly.

Konstantine cocked his head to the side, gazing at Kai with a piercing eye before a feral smile lit up his features, "Oh, is that so?"

Kai frowned, nodding his head, "Yes, that is so. I am not going to be using my gun against anyone but _you _and _your_ men."

"Really?" a crazed glint seemed to sparkle in the corner of his one visible silver eye. A hollow, eerie laugh erupted from within Konstantine, "I don't think so Kai."

"What makes you think you know me? What makes you so sure that I'll act out your orders?" Kai stood up shakily, ignoring the throbbing in his head and the sparks of pain in his shoulder at every movement.

"For one, I knew that you wouldn't even think about hurting your own men … I guess I just wanted you to prove me wrong in my assumptions, but you haven't, and I'm afraid you will have to pay the price." Konstantine whipped out his gun, aiming it straight at Nikolai, his arm unwavering as he readied his finger over the trigger.

Kai felt his eyes widen and his feet move to late as Konstantine pulled the trigger, the heavy bullet exploding out of the nozzle and skimming through the air, finally embedding itself in Nikolai's head. "NO!" He stumbled, shock pulsing through his body, and fell, landing awkwardly on his injured shoulder. He cried out in pain as liquid fire pulsed through his veins, engulfing his whole body. He clenched his teeth together, his eyes screwed together as he desperately pushed air out of his convulsing body.

Konstantine stared down at him, his single visible unwavering as he watched the young leader writhing in pain. Gazing away for a split second, he pulled the catch, at the back of his gun, back positioning another bullet into the nozzle and pulled the trigger a second time. Kai started, momentarily disregarding the pain that engulfed his body as another of his men was shot dead: Kirill.

"Stop … please …" Kai's voice was a mere whisper in the silent airfield, the stench of blood polluting the air, blood from five dead men. "Nikolai … Kirill …" Konstantine pulled the trigger a third time, the bullet death in lead form as it pierced Roman's chest and heart, killing the man instantly. "Stop …" Konstantine swivelled his body in the opposite direction, the three men bound to wall nothing more but dead corpses to him. He strode forwards, into the centre of his men and roughly grabbed Vladislav but the hair, causing the man to cry out from shock, pain and fear. The man whimpered softly when the cold metal was placed to his head again. Kai watched him with wide eyes, "Stop it …" his voice was barely audible, even to his own ears.

Konstantine ripped the blindfold off of Vladislav and forced him to face Kai, who grimaced, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. The pain and fear of death was clearly evident in Vladislav's eyes and no matter how hard he tried, Kai could not tear his gaze away from the other man's. but through the pain and fear that shone in the other man's eyes, Kai could detect hope … hope that he would live, that Kai would save him. Kai bit his lip, covering his mouth and choking back a scream of hysteria as Konstantine pulled the trigger yet again, the light from Vladislav's eyes dimming before disappearing altogether as the body slumped to the floor.

Stephan shuddered from beside his dead friend, swallowing the cries that willed themselves to be released. He froze as something connected with his back, a heaviness that he knew to bear the sign of death. He swallowed thickly, his head pounding as time dragged on slowly. He had heard everything that had happened and he knew he was the last one. Kai was on the ground, his hands covering his face as sobs threatened to rise up out of his throat. He couldn't look up. He couldn't face the last death that was down to him and him alone. But he didn't have to … the sound of the final bullet being released from Konstantine's gun told him that it was all over. Seven of his men were dead, three more deaths of the rest of his team were inevitable, and then he would be next.

He groaned slightly as he was lifted up by the front of his shirt. Opening heavy eyes, he trembled at the cold sadism evident in Konstantine's eyes. "Three more deaths, Kai. You think you can handle it?"

Kai swallowed and shook his head. This man had seen his weaknesses, had known his weaknesses from the beginning. To hide them was a futile act, not only to himself but to his captors. "Spare the other three … and I'll do whatever you want me to …"

Konstantine shook his head, "No. They all die tonight Kai. Every single one of them, and there is nothing you can do to stop it from happening." He roughly turned Kai around in his grasps and placed a gun in the shorter man's hands and wrapped his own around it, making sure that both his and Kai's fingers were hovering over the trigger. He pulled the man to his chest, his other arm coming up to wrap around Kai's neck, effectively pinning the man as spasms of pain shook the trembling body in his arms. "Bring them out!" Konstantine's men separated and three more men stepped out from behind them, each holding the remaining three of Kai's fallen team … Alexsi, Igor and Maksim. "Now … they will die." Kai shook his head and struggled desperately in the man's grip, but to no avail as his weakened state hardly proved a challenge for the silver-eyed man. Konstantine manoeuvred Kai's arm with his own, and once pointing straight towards Alexsi, pushed down with his finger, causing Kai to pull the trigger.

A strangled gasp left Kai's lips as Alexsi shuddered softly before his body was released and he slumped to the floor, dead, his life essence pouring out of him in trails of crimson. "Let me go!" Konstantine merely manoeuvred the arm placed around Kai's neck to grab at the man's injured shoulder. Kai let a short cry, his knees buckling and his body going limp, his head feeling exceptionally light. He couldn't stop Konstantine from moving his arm towards Igor. Couldn't stop the forceful pull of his trigger. Couldn't stop the sight of Igor collapsing and emitting one last shuddering breath. "Stop … please …" Kai's voice was hoarse, pent up with emotions that threatened to reveal themselves. "Enough … please …"

Konstantine merely shook his head, manoeuvring Kai's arm so that it was trained on the last person standing, the last man left on Kai's depleted team. I leant down, his breath tickling the side of Kai's ear, "I am not a considerate man. I am not good. I am not understanding. I am an assassin. I am a murder … and now … so are you …" Pressing his finger down, the trigger was pulled and Maksim fell to the ground, dead. Kai trembled, his whole body going slack. He collapsed to the ground as Konstantine released his hold on him, "How does it feel Kai? How does it feel to be the cause of eleven deaths? The cause of pain and suffering for your men's families? Especially knowing that three of those deaths were done by your hands."

Bent on hands and knees, Kai's fingers clawed at the ground beneath him, his heart and head pounding furiously, nausea sweeping over him. A cold sweat had engulfed his body and he found himself shivering, the cold night air penetrating deep into his body and in to the two bullet wounds that adorned his right shoulder, but one thought passed through his mind '_Fillip, how could you betray us?' _

* * *

Ah ... just a quick reassuring note ... Tala will show up in due time ... so please bear with me ... I really don't want to rush into this fic ... that's why Tala is taking such a long time to make his appearance. So sorry. 

Review?

Ja ne


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